


All I Heard was the Echo in the Light

by An_English_Suitcase



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Shingeki no Kyojin Fusion, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hero Worship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Possibly Pre-Slash, but only at first
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-13
Updated: 2013-11-13
Packaged: 2018-01-01 10:31:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1043758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/An_English_Suitcase/pseuds/An_English_Suitcase
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All John wants is to join the Survey Corps and to fight along side his idol Lance Corporal Sherlock Holmes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All I Heard was the Echo in the Light

The first time John saw him he was ten years old, a scrawny thing with golden hair and mismatched shoes, clambering up onto his sisters shoulders to better see the Survey Corps as they came trudging through the streets. He saw Commander Lestrade first, the man was graying around the edges, the silver licking up his hair and shadowing his eyes. He looked tired, his body slumped over the horse he was sat on. Behind him walked the rest of the Survey Corps all looking just as tired and grey, some nursing wounds that were still sluggishly leaking blood.

"Do you see them John?" Harry asked squeezing his foot.

"Yes," His eyes drank them in, the green cloaks, the horses, the grim faces, they looked like the heroes from his mothers stories, "They're amazing!" Harry laughed and pinched his thigh.

"Oh yeah?" John didn't answer, too busy scanning the faces of all the men when a hush fell over the crowd, only to quickly be replaced with feverish whispers.

"The Lance Corporal..."

"Corporal Holmes..."

"Humanity's strongest..."

"John, Lance Corporal Holmes is coming, do you see him?" Harry asked her voice carrying over the quiet of the crowd.

John looked, "No-" the word was barely out of his mouth before Lance Corporal Holmes filled his vision. He was seated on a large ferocious looking horse, he was tall and pale with a mop of dark black hair. His eyes were light, John could see that even from far away, and staring resolutely ahead. His mouth was shaped into a hard line, his brows pulled over his eyes. The cape he wore must have been the same as all the others but to John it was better, a deeper green, a finer material.

"I see him." He was immaculate, not a speck of dirt on his uniform.

"I want to be just like him." He breathed as the man passed by. Corporal Holmes' eyes snapped to John's. Harry tapped furiously at his leg.

"Quiet John!" She hissed. The Lance Corporal held his gaze for a moment longer before giving a snort and turning away. The loud chatter started up almost immediately after the Corporal passed.

"Did you see that?" John smiled, bending down so that his face was nearly even with Harry's. She struggled for a moment, trying to balance out the weight and scowled up at him.

"How many times have I told you not to lean over when you're on my shoulders?" John waved her irritation away.

"Okay, but did you see? He looked at me, he heard me."

"He glared at you more like it."

"No, he didn't glare."

"Sure John, he didn't glare." John puffed up, anger coloring his cheeks.

"He didn't. He just looked. He didn't glare, he wouldn't glare!" He pulled on a handful of Harry's hair.

"Alright, alright he didn't now get off me." John scrambled down landing lightly on his feet and then taking off as Harry playfully slapped at him.

"Hey!" Harry shouted when John got far away, "Remember mom needs you to pick up her medication!" John waved to signal he heard and ran around the corner, heading towards the little gap between the bakery and the general store where he could shimmy up onto the rooftops. He climbed up steadying himself when he reached the top, before springing away, running to catch up the Survey Corps. They looked different from the rooftops, smaller, he wondered if this was what Titans felt like when they saw the green below.

"No that's silly. They'd never see them from the ground," John told himself, "They fly through the air." He kept pace with them awhile until the roofs spread out too far and he could no longer hop to the next one, so he sat down and watched as one by one the men and women disappeared through the Baker Street Gate.

"John, hey! John!" The boy looked down, Mike Stamford stood in the middle of the street staring up at him with an easy smile on his face.

"Hey Mike!" John gripped onto the edge of the roof, lowering himself until his arms were entirely stretched out before letting go and dropping gracefully to the ground.

"I didn't see you today, did you see the Survey Corps?" John fell into pace beside his friend and the two of them made their way towards the apothecary.

"Yeah, me and Harry were up by the market when they came by."

"Amazing aren't they? I'm going to be just like Commander Lestrade when I grow up."

"Commander Lestrade? But he's so old, Lance Corporal Holmes is much better." Mike sputtered.

"They're practically the same age! The Corporal was only three years behind the Commander in the academy!"

"Three years is a lot."

"It is not." Mike shoved him lightheartedly and John shoved back setting off a bout of wrestling.

"Watch were you're going!" A mother hissed as the pair nearly ran into her and her child. John apologized as Mike giggled by his side. The woman only sniffed turning her nose up and pulling her child along behind her. Mike stuck his tongue out as she turned her back. John slapped him upside the head for it.

"What? She had it coming." John only shook his head as they walked into the apothecary. The place stank of herbs and roots, and a thick cloying fog hung in the air from the countless potions and salves and tonics. It was hot too, far too hot. John hated coming here. A squat little man sat behind the heavy stone counter counting gold and silver pieces.

"Hello, Mr. Luwyen? I've come to pick up my mother's medicine. Ella Watson?" Mr. Luwyen grumbled looking up from his coins to peer at John and Mike from underneath bushy eyebrows.

"Yes I know who it's for." No matter how many times John had been here he was always surprised by just how deep Mr. Luwyen's voice was. He pulled himself from his chair, waving a thick hand at John, "Wait here, I'll get it from the back." The man shuffled off.

"Creepy, that one." Mike whispered, leaning in close to John.

"Shush. He isn't creepy. Just old." Mike laughed.

"Just _old."_

"Oh shut it, Mike." Mr. Luwyen returned then a small brown parcel in his hands.

"Here you are, twice a day she's meant to take this. Once in the morning, and once at night. She's to drink a glass of milk with each dose, to better absorb the herbs. Do you understand boy?" John nodded his head, "Repeat it back to me then."

"Twice a day, morning and night, she's to have a glass of milk with each. Better to help with the herbs." He parroted.

"Humph. Three silver pieces." John fished around in his pocket for the money his mother had given him that morning, when he had hold of the coins he tipped them into the old man's waiting palm. Mr. Luwyen bit down, testing the truth of the money and handed over the bag of medication when he deemed them adequate. "Be gone now." He muttered going back behind the counter and continuing to count his gold and silver pieces. John and Mike gave two quick bows and hurried off.

The fresh air was a relief after spending time in the apothecary.

"Come on, we'll go to my house, mom needs her medicine. Maybe Harry will even make us some sesame noodles."

"Sesame noodles! Come on John! There's no time to lose!" Mike grabbed his arm and set off running, John laughed easily keeping pace.

"I only said maybe!"

"Maybe's good enough for me!"

John freed his arm from Mike's grip and pulled ahead, "Race you!"

"Ha!" He could hear Mike's feet pounding close behind him but he knew his friend would never catch him. He was the fastest kid in Cardiff, and one day he would be the fastest man in the Survey Corps.

 _"One day,"_ John thought as he ran, _"they'll tell my story, mine and Lance Corporal Holmes'.”_

"I've almost got you!" Mike wheezed from just behind him.

John smiled and picked up the pace.


End file.
